PayPal Fees in Australia (2026): The Real AUD Cost
By the Profitvana Editorial Team · Updated August 2026
PayPal Australia's headline rate is 2.90% + A$0.30 per domestic sale — but international payments add 1%, currency conversion adds 3–4%, and GST applies to every fee. Here is what an Australian seller or freelancer actually pays in 2026, with the math.
Domestic sales: 2.90% + A$0.30
When an Australian buyer pays an Australian seller, PayPal charges 2.90% of the amount plus A$0.30. On an A$100 sale that is A$3.20, so A$96.80 lands in your balance.
Compare that with Stripe Australia's 1.75% + A$0.30 for domestic cards — A$2.05 on the same sale. PayPal's premium buys buyer familiarity and one-click checkout; whether that is worth ~A$1.15 per A$100 depends on your audience.
International payments: +1.00%
Payments from buyers outside Australia add 1.00 percentage point, taking the rate to 3.90% + A$0.30. On an A$200 sale to a US buyer, the fee is A$8.10 instead of A$6.10.
That is before currency conversion — the surcharge applies even if the buyer pays in AUD.
Currency conversion: the 3–4% quiet fee
If the payment arrives in USD, GBP, or any non-AUD currency and PayPal converts it, the conversion spread is 3.0% — rising to 4.0% in some cases (such as delayed refunds). On international work this is routinely the single largest cost, bigger than the transaction fee itself.
Fixes: invoice in AUD so the buyer's side converts, or hold the foreign balance and spend it without converting. For regular overseas clients, compare a Wise transfer — typically 0.3–1% instead of 3–4%.
GST applies to PayPal fees
PayPal's fees to Australian business accounts attract 10% GST, added on top of the amounts above. A nominal A$3.20 fee actually costs A$3.52. GST-registered sellers claim it back on their BAS; sellers under the A$75,000 threshold wear it as a real cost.
Micropayments: cheaper under ~A$12
Sellers of low-priced items can ask PayPal to switch to the micropayments rate: 5.00% + A$0.05 domestic (6.00% international). The higher percentage but tiny fixed fee wins on any sale under about A$12 — on an A$5 sale it is A$0.30 instead of A$0.45.
The rate applies account-wide once enabled, so mixed-size sellers should do the math on their average sale first.
What an A$100 sale really costs
Domestic buyer, AUD: A$2.90 + A$0.30 = A$3.20 + GST A$0.32 = A$3.52 total. Net: A$96.48.
US buyer paying in USD: 3.90% + A$0.30 = A$4.20, plus 3% conversion (A$3.00), plus GST — over A$7.90 total on the same A$100. International PayPal income costs more than double domestic.
Frequently asked questions
How much does PayPal charge in Australia?
2.90% + A$0.30 for domestic goods-and-services payments, plus 1.00% for international payments, plus a 3.0–4.0% spread if PayPal converts currency, plus 10% GST on all fees. On a domestic A$100 sale you net about A$96.48 after GST.
Does PayPal Australia charge GST on its fees?
Yes — 10% GST is added to PayPal's fees for Australian business accounts. GST-registered sellers can claim it back on their BAS; unregistered sellers bear it as a real cost.
Is PayPal or Stripe cheaper in Australia?
Stripe is cheaper on domestic cards — 1.75% + A$0.30 versus PayPal's 2.90% + A$0.30, about A$1.15 less per A$100 sale. PayPal's advantage is buyer familiarity and balance-funded payments.
Sources
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Profitvana Editorial Team
We research marketplace, payment, and finance fees directly against each platform’s official, published rates, and stamp every calculator with the date it was last verified. We publish exactly how we work — and never let ads change a result.